


Caught in the Moment

by Clouddreams



Category: Justice League & Justice League Unlimited (Cartoons)
Genre: Clubbing, Loneliness, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-26
Updated: 2013-05-05
Packaged: 2017-11-27 00:50:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,796
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/656177
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Clouddreams/pseuds/Clouddreams
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bruce only meant to keep Flash company, but he didn't expect Flash to be such a good dancer.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. At the club

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Work Or Pleasure](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/16225) by The Lunatic Who Cares. 



> So I read a fic over on ff.net and it was inspired by a wonderful song (Keri Hilson - I like), which I listened to and the two mixed in my brain to make this. Hope you like. Might continue it on, not sure

Bruce looked out at the bustling streets of Central City moving about beneath the hotel window and thought maybe he should get changed into his usual suit and go out for a meal. Find some model and spend the night with her. He must be going nuts if he wanted to go out on the town with Wally West, or The Flash as the other leaguers knew him. Not that Wally knew Bruce was intending on spending the night with him.

Bruce had overheard him asking John to come to a new club in Central, something Green Lantern had turned down because of his date with Hawk Girl. Flash had looked a little disappointed but shrugged it off saying he'd just have more fun. And more choice of 'the babes'. Lantern hadn't had much time to spend with Flash since he started dating and Bruce thought Flash was getting lonely. Flash was such a social person Bruce assumed he had lots of friends, but there's a difference in this job between friends from your civilian life, from your mask and the most important ones who knew both.

Which is probably why he was standing in the hotel room wearing simple jeans and a black t-shirt, watching as the city lit up, getting ready to go clubbing. He had used a business deal that needed to be settled as an excuse to be in the city, though everyone thought he was coming in tomorrow leaving him with this night free. Ensured by the functional hotel and fake name; he had become a master at disguises. He picked up a wallet and left, still wondering why he felt the need to do something about Flash's loneliness.

It didn't take long for him to find the club, small but lit up, music pounding even through the closed doors. There wasn't much of a queue for the place and he managed to get in without much fuss, not many people expected Gotham's playboy to be out clubbing in some place like this. There wasn't even a VIP lounge. He headed straight for the bar ordering a beer and started looking around at the crowded dance floor. He had seen a picture of what Flash looked like without his mask but watching all the bodies grinding together on the dance floor he began speculating how he was going to find the speedster in this.

Then he caught a glimpse of a tall man, dancing in the middle of the floor with two beautiful women with more grace than he would have believed. Without thinking he moved so he could watch the man as he gyrated almost seductively. Bruce wasn't sure with the strobe lighting but he thought the man had red hair. Could that be Flash? It didn't seem right since most women seemed repelled by his pick up lines.

And yet as he watched hypnotized by the man's movements Bruce supposed that if all he did was dance like that he would have more women than he knew what to do with. As if the man felt the weight of Bruce's gaze he looked up and searched around the club, before noticing it was Bruce watching him. They locked eyes and he flashed a grin that Bruce knew too well. The Flash was full of hidden surprises it seemed.

When the song was over Flash started making his way off the floor to the obvious protests of his dancing partners. He seems to laugh with them and lose them in the crowd. He managed to lose Bruce's gaze as well and Bruce started to look around trying to find him again.

"Over here." A voice almost whispered in his ear. The voice was a little deeper, but still had that playful tone he was used to. How had he managed to sneak up beside Bruce, and from the opposite directing Bruce had last seen him head in. He turned to see Flash grinning at him, half finished bottle of water in his hand. He could see combat jeans and a plain white t-shirt, showing off his toned body.

"Who says I was looking for you? Those girls you were with are stunning." Bruce decided to pass off his interest to the women on the floor.

The grin got larger. "Nuh-uh. Those girls I was with? Just proves it."

Bruce could only stare there blinking at him, what kind of logic was that? Flash grinned and finished his water. "Come on, let's dance."

Bruce found himself dragged to the dance floor and in the middle of the dance floor. He could have stopped, he didn't think they'd be dancing, but somehow the thoughts of dancing beside that lithe body was too much and he let himself get carried away. As the night continued on Flash moved closer and closer and pressed up against him, he had long since stopped thinking of it as Flash and let the night just be, moving along as the bass thrummed through his body, and the perfection filled his senses.

It wasn't much longer before Bruce found his hands on that slim waist pulling him flush against himself. Flash turned and looked up into his eyes, laughter and joy dancing in his green eyes, lips so close Bruce could feel the deep breaths against his own. Without thought or decision he dipped his head and kissed those taunting lips. An arm snaked its way around his waist and neck, pulling Bruce even closer as lips moved gently, teasingly with his.

A tongue licked at his lips and he sucked it in, let it explore before pushing it back and taking his turn. He could taste Flash and something sickeningly sweet. It was intoxicating and addictive, he couldn't get enough of it. Flash pulled back slightly, goofy grin in place, panting heavily and started tortuously grinding their hips together to the beat of the music. Bruce found himself lost of all control, wanting nothing more than what was in his arms.

Another searing kiss, heat overwhelming him, and then Bruce was pulled out of the door and into the cold air. It seemed to sober him up, and he realised that he had spent the night dancing with Flash, had just kissed Flash, who had kissed passionately back. He hadn't even known Flash swung that way. Bruce slowed and stopped letting the stunning man pull him any further. Flash just turned, grin on his face, and closed the distance between their bodies.

"You're place or mine?" His voice practically purred in Bruce's ear, as Flash stood on his toes to bring his mouth close enough to brush Bruce's earlobe.

It sent a shiver of pure pleasure down his spine and Bruce allowed himself one more kiss, it was filled with desire and promises of things he couldn't let happen. "I can't, I'm sorry."

Disappointment flitted past Flash's face, but there was a kindness and understanding in those expressive eyes. "So am I. Here, give me a call when you can." He pulled a pen from one of his pockets and pulled Bruce's arm towards himself writing some numbers on it. Flash plants a quick chase kiss on his lips and starts moving away. After a couple of steps he stops and turns back, quick embarrassed grin on his face. "I'm Wally by the way."

It seemed ridiculous to only be exchanging names now, and it startled a chuckle out of Bruce. "Bruce."

Flash's eyes lit up again. "Hope I see you around, Bruce." The way he said his name, nearly made Bruce grab his arm and pull him back, back to his hotel and find out if all those promises, desires in their kissing came true. But in the end he let Wally walk away watching the grace of his movements before turning back to his empty hotel room.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reflections on The Night

“So hotshot, did you get some company last night?” Lantern asked as he and Flash entered the cafeteria, where Bruce was sipping a cup of coffee in a dark corner, trying hard not to think about the previous night. 

He had failed throughout the day in his board meetings and negotiations. His mind circling what might have been with Wally. It had been a long time since he’d just let go of all control and lived in the moment. It worried him that it might happen again, yet he wanted it to. There had been a freedom in that that he only found when fighting in Gotham, mind focused on the next move and defences. He didn’t expect to find it outside of that, and certainly not with The Flash.

He was the jokester, fast of feet and faster of mouth. Bruce had to revise everything he thought he knew about the speedster and eventually decided that he’d never be able to predict what Wally would do, he was erratic and wild and everything Bruce wasn’t. The cheap hotel bed felt colder than it should have as Bruce tried to sleep. 

Images of what could have been plagued his imagination; the ghost of heat as Wally laid in his arms cuddled up to him, the arch of Wally’s back as he thrust into him and the sparkle in his eyes as they reached completion. Which presented its own problem that interfered with his sleep. In the end he had given in and focused on those as he brought himself to release.

“Sadly no. It was a close thing though, hottest body in there too.” The dissatisfaction in an otherwise happy voice brought Bruce back to the present, suddenly glad of the confines of his suit. He looked up to see Wally grinning and he could imagine how his green eyes would sparkle with all his emotions.

“Right,” touch of disbelief in Lantern’s voice, as he poured himself a cup of coffee. “So what happened then? Open your mouth?”

“Nah, it was just fast is all. We were out in the fresh air and what we were going to do just dawned. We didn’t even exchange names until I was leaving. Wasn’t until I got turned down, I realised they were right. Body and a kiss like that, I want to take my time with. Go out to dinner and see if there’s more than just a one night stand. I wouldn’t want it over in a Flash.” Wally explained as he focused on getting some food. Bruce noticed that Wally had point blank avoided any pronouns. If he hadn’t known it was himself Wally was talking about, he probably wouldn’t have noticed the omission, and assumed it was a woman like Lantern was.

Lantern laughed at Wally. “Right so you felt up some chick, nearly brought her home and didn’t know her name? Sometimes I wonder what really happens when I don’t go clubbing with you. You never manage to get a girl home when I’m there, and yet most times when you go alone you talk about having company over.”

“Hey if I’m out with my bud, what kind of friend would I be if I just left him on the dance floor to go be with a chick? You know the saying.” Flash laughed back as he finished piling food on his plate.

Lantern shook his head, taking a sip from his coffee. “Right, one of these nights out alone, I want to see pictures or none of it ever happened.”

Bruce could see Wally tense up a little before he laughed. “Oh come on, don’t you believe me GL?”

“Not any future ones without some kind of proof.”

“That’s so not fair, nobody’s going to agree to a photo with a one-nighter. It’s going to sound so creepy. Actually it is creepy, ‘hey my friend doesn’t believe I pull on a night out so can I take your photo to prove it?’ Who would stay after that sentence?” Bruce watched the pout start to form and could easily imagine those eyes starting to glisten and turn into a perfect impression of puppy dog eyes. The image alone made Bruce want to go over and comfort him.

Lantern laughed again, “If you can talk them home, you can talk them into a picture.” He looked down at his watch. “I have to go hotshot, See you tomorrow.”

Lantern left and Wally walked over to a table and slumped down a little into a chair, eyeing up his laden plate like it had wronged him. Bruce was certain neither had seen him in the shadows and wondered if he should leave quietly or say something. In the end after Wally had just looked at his food without eating it for at least five minutes Bruce decided to speak up. 

“Hottest body there?” Wally jumped in his chair and swung around to see him.

“Bats? Jeez way to give me a heart attack.” He picked up his food and walked to Bruce’s table. He sat down and started eating. “What you don’t believe me either?”

Bruce thought about how best to answer that. “You haven’t lied to us before.”

Wally grinned and started eating faster. “I’m not this time either. You should have seen it, Bats. Absolute perfection. And the way we danced was pure electric.”

Bruce wondered if Wally would have said that if they had gotten back to the hotel and seen all his scars. Most of the airheads he took to bed generally ignored them in favour of a chance at his money. Wally smiled up at him, food finished. “Sounds like you had a good time out.”

“Best night out yet. I left my number, really hoping they call back. Might see if I can get a date.” There was hope there in his tone. Bruce had hoped the night had made as good an impression on Wally as much as it had on him, but listening to Wally talking bout it he wondered if it might have made more of one. 

“If they call.” Bruce was still debating the wisdom of that. On the one hand he couldn’t get attached, and definitely not to a team-mate. On the other, he really wanted to know what might have been, what could be.

Wally slumped back down, kicked puppy expression on his face. “Yeah you’re right. Never going to happen.”

“It may be for the best. Sounds like you barely knew each other.”

“But that’s why it’s such a pity.” Bruce knew Wally was smart and logical, couldn’t be a forensic scientist otherwise, but he really needed to start explaining just what kind of logic his brain came up with. Wally seemed to sense his confusion because he smiled and continued. “With that kind of fire, without knowing each other can you just imagine what it would be like when we do? If we went out?”

And Bruce knew what he meant, he could see all the possibilities he’d thought he’d never get. But he could also see all the ways it could go wrong. Starting with Wally realising it was Batman he had been kissing. Wally’s smile made him want to try though, just to see if Wally would get past that. Get past the intimidation Bruce kept around him.

“If he feels that way, he’ll call.” Bruce stood up and left before Wally could make a better argument for himself. He’d probably end up making out right there.


	3. Interfering Alfred

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bruce attends another party

Another Friday night, and Bruce found himself looking out another hotel window at the same city as last week. It was a better hotel, and booked under his own name this time. The view may have changed but the city hadn’t, it still looked alive and vibrant, colours and headlights moving fast. Somehow he wanted it to be as conflicted as he felt. He was dressed much better too, dressed as Bruce ready to go to another silly party. A party with the local cops. He silently cursed Alfred. 

He never committed to going to any single event as Bruce Wayne, leaving him open to travel where he needed to as Batman, and still maintain his cover. Generally he let Alfred know where he needed to be, and let him pick the best event to go to. Usually if he didn’t mention travelling, Alfred would pick something in Gotham. Not this week, instead Alfred seemed to have picked up on what had been on his mind all week and tried doing something about it. Alfred encouraged as many relationships as he could for Bruce.

He left the hotel in a limo this time and it didn’t feel quite right, he wanted it to be a cab. When he got to the building it was bright lights, and elegance. Everyone was dressed in their formal wear, and Bruce couldn’t help but wish he was back in a dark club, with music that was felt more than heard. With people dressed for comfort and teasing rather than the illusion of being better and more important than everyone else.  
The party seemed normal enough, he ate the over-done dinner that Alfred would have insisted on sending back, and mingled, chatting to all the guests. He tried so hard not to look for a vibrant red head. He didn’t know how but he knew that Wally was in here somewhere, but Bruce reckoned if he kept the women company, ignoring the men he could avoid Wally. It was nearing the end of the night and Bruce had almost managed to escape without detection when Patrick Johnson approached him a nervous looking Wally beside him.

“Ah, Bruce Wayne, I’d like to introduce you to our best CSI, Wally West. He’s the one who’ll be making best use of the new equipment we purchased off Wayne Enterprises.” Wally looked confused for a moment before recognition lit his features. A smile came up then, Bruce thought he was the only one who saw how fake it was, it was stuck on his face, and though his eyes reflected some of it, they were carefully blank.

“Not just me Rick.” Wally admonished his boss gently before addressing Bruce. “Nice to meet you. I really must say the advances your company’s made in diagnosis equipment is amazing.”

“It’s one of the best ways to ensure responsible use of new technology and discoveries.” Bruce tried to project trust and comfort to Wally, but he just didn’t seem to respond.

They attempted to make small talk for a while, but Wally’s heart wasn’t in it, and Bruce was out of practice. He decided he would have to do something about that. Before very long Wally excused himself and Bruce watched as he weaved through the crowd, heading for the exit. The memory of Wally’s fake smile haunted him, so he excused himself and followed. Bruce managed to catch up with Wally in a quiet hallway, just before the exit.

“Wally.”

Wally turned around to face Bruce, a brief glimpse of sadness before that fake smile was back. “Yes?”

“About last week,” Bruce started but he interrupted.

“It okay, I get it. Gotham playboy billionaire can’t be seen bringing a guy back to his hotel.” Heartbreakingly fake smile still in place. “You were probably slumming it but I had a great night. Thanks.”

He turned to leave as guilt flooded Bruce, Wally’s few words painting a picture of an intentional night of fun, one that was meant to be forgotten as soon as it was over. Implied that Bruce was just leading him on. Without thinking he reached out and grabbed Wally’s arm. “It was one of my best nights out too.”

The voice was quiet and Wally blinked, looking like he wasn’t quite sure he had heard the words. Then he blushed a little and looked away. “Ah, thanks, I guess.”

“That isn’t why I haven’t called you. It’s … more complicated than that.”

The smile was bitter, an edge to it that Bruce never wanted to see again. “More complicated than Gotham’s playboy doing what he does best?”

Bruce didn’t know why that hurt so much, he felt like all those promises and maybes in his mind had been shot by a firing range. Shocked he loosened his hold on Wally’s arm, who used it as a chance to get away. “Wally.” He called out, so softly he was sure the other man wouldn’t hear him, would leave even if he did.

“What?” Bitterness and frustration in the tone, sadness and hurt in those captivating eyes.

“Did you even mean it when you said I was the best in the club last week? Did you mean it when you said there was a chance for something great?” Bruce knew he was saying too much, more than he ever meant to and less then he imagined he would, but the death of hope was a hard thing to take.

It was so easy to see the expressions pass Wally’s face; confusion, worry, realisation and finally horror. It was the last thing Bruce saw before Wally disappeared in a soft breeze and it only put the final nail in the coffin of dreams, confirmed Wally didn’t want anything more from him than Flash and Batman already had. 

Feeling depressed and fed up with it all, Bruce left the party returning to the cold, empty hotel bed. Stayed awake all night tattered remains of what if’s haunting his nightmares.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay I apologise for long delay in finishing this the creative ADD struck. It's not as wonderful as I'd like but I've left you all having long enough.

It wasn't bad enough his dreams were plagued with nightmares of what could have been, Bruce was haunted by thoughts of the speedster on patrol, kept thinking he could see Wally out of the corner of his eye but when he turned to look there would be nothing. He hadn’t even seen Wally on the tower either all that week and he knew the other hero was avoiding him. So when on another Friday night, instead of starting at a party he just headed straight out on patrol and took all his frustrations out muggers and thieves.

It was early Saturday morning when he arrived back at the cave, tired and a little sore to find the cave not as empty as he left it. Wally was sitting in the computer chair, dressed in civvies. Bruce hesitated in the Batmobile, unsure of what he wanted. He knew he couldn’t stay hidden for much longer, Wally had watched as he parked the car, so he got out and carefully approached the computer.

“Flash,” Bruce began but was interrupted by the other man.

“No masks, Bats.” Wally indicated his own bare face.

Bruce knew it was a test, so he pulled off his own cowl. “Wally, what are you doing in here?”

Wally’s face was carefully blank, “I followed you here last night.”

“You followed me?” Bruce kept his voice neutral, internally cursing himself. If he hadn’t been so distracted with thoughts of Wally he would have seen that it was Wally following him not some twisted torture of his mind.

“Unintentionally at first. I wanted to talk about, well all that and find out some things. But I kept chickening out, so I ended up following you.”

“What did you want to say? Last week said everything.”

Confusion passed Wally’s face, the first emotion to show itself and Bruce was oddly grateful. A subdued Wally was unnerving. “No, last week you explained and I ran away. I never even answered your questions. How is that talking?”

“A conversation doesn’t need just words.”

“Maybe not for you, but some words need to be said.”

“Enough were said to get the point across.”

“And what point was that? The one of I put my foot in it thanks to misconceptions, or perhaps I don’t take surprises well? We still have a lot of questions unanswered.”

“Go home Flash.” Bruce said tiredly. He just wanted to go upstairs and forget the last two weeks ever happened. Let things go back to normal.

“Bruce!” Wally sounded exasperated and fed up with their argument, despite the fact it had only just started. “I came here to find something out and I’m not leaving until I do.”

“Fine, what are –” Bruce’s snappy reply was cut off by Wally’s lips. It started soft and chaste, but eventually deepened until it felt like that night in the club. Those promises came back to him, only to be shattered again when Wally pulled away.

“Damn.” It was just a word, but for once Bruce didn’t know what it meant.

“What?” It was snappy and irritated but now he really just wanted to go to bed and forget everything. It wasn’t fair of Wally to keep reminding him of what could have been.

“Were you ever going to call?” The question seemed to come from the left field.

“Wally,” Bruce started softly.

“You can’t tell me you felt nothing with that kiss, that I’m the only one who could feel the fire.” Wally interrupted. His eyes were back to expressive, pleading and hope clear. “Tell me this isn’t you getting back at me for annoying you.”

Bruce knew he had to be hard and tough as Batman, but he didn’t think Flash or the rest of the League would think him that cruel. “I don’t know if I would have called.” At this point Bruce felt the truth was the only way to go. “I agree there’s something there, but it’s complicated.”

“Then why go there in the first place? It can’t have been a coincidence that you showed up in the same club I was.” Bruce thought Wally really shouldn’t have looked so adorable standing there, crossed arms and foot tapping so hard it was mostly just a blur.

“I,” Bruce faltered. “You looked lonely when Lantern turned you down to go to the club, I thought even if you didn’t know I was there, that we knew each other, it’d make it less lonely for you. I thought we’d talk, not end up making out in the middle of the dance floor like teenagers.”

Wally’s smile was teasing. “You travelled to halfway across the country to go to a hole in the ground club because you thought I looked lonely and didn’t expect us to make out at the very least?”

“You still haven’t told me what you wanted answered.” Bruce growled out hoping to deflect Wally. That particular thought pattern was actually logical this time, unfortunately.

“If I was imagining the connection we shared at the club and whether I’ve ruined it by doing what I do best?” His heart skipped a beat at Wally’s words as hope was once again resurrected. If this went on much longer he'd end up having a heart attack.

“You weren’t imagining things.”

Wally looked away and sighed. “But I did ruin things by running.”

“It’s not that simple.” Bruce sighed.

“Why not?” Wally was back looking at him, one eyebrow raised and his tone somewhere between lost and annoyed.

“It would never be a real relationship. We could never be open in either life, I have a certain image to keep, we’d never have time together. That's not counting that we work together in the same team. There are so many things in the way." Bruce was more trying to remind himself of the reasons why his desires were better dead than explaining them to Wally.

"I'm hardly open right now. People may be more accepting these days but cops aren't. And being open in the other community is asking for trouble, though I'm not opposed to GL or Supes knowing. So that's not a problem." Wally paused for breath.

"Are you going to counter all my arguments?" Bruce glared, but his heart wasn't really in it, not after his dreams had been revived.

"As many as I can. It'll never be perfect, but nothing is. Are you willing to try?" Wally just looked at him, expression back to neutral.

The decision was in his hands now, he could either have what he wanted or reject it completely. He licked his lips, imagining the taste of Wally, remembering the feel and knew he had to try. Carefully he leant in and initiated a kiss. Wally thrummed with nervous energy, communicating it across and he could almost hear the song that was playing in that club.

Wally's lips parted at the first touch of his tongue, Wally's arms were coming up to wrap around his neck, as his own hands attached themselves to slim hips, fingers fanning across pert cheeks. Their tongues and loops moving together in a perfect dance. They broke apart painting for air after what felt like hours, and Bruce knew that echo of bass deep within his bones from the night after he left the club want from the music, but simply from Wally.

“Your place or mine?” Wally said looking up at him with a devilish smile.


End file.
